One accident away
by formerly webdoor
Summary: Co written with mae-E. A meteorite lands outside of Pasadena California getting the attention of Cal Tech. The university assigns astrophysicist Dr. Rajesh 'Raj' Koothrappali with another astrophysicist Dr. William 'Billy' Cranston.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is not connected with my earlier crossover Brains Collide.**

One day during lunch Raj was looking over a piece of a meteorite that crashed on the outskirts of Pasadena.

"You decided to work through lunch? Take a break buddy have some lunch," Howard said.

"I can't this piece of the meteorite that landed outside of town is fascinating," Raj said while looking through his microscope.

"How 'fascinating' is it?" Sheldon asked.

"Fascinating enough that I been partnered up with another astrophysicists from another university," Raj said.

"Good for you that you're working on a project with someone other than Sheldon," Leonard said.

"Leonard," Sheldon said.

"Yes?" Leonard asked.

"Perhaps we should partner up on an experiment," Sheldon said.

"Oh no, isn't it enough we live together?" Leonard asked.

"Come on, don't you want to be recognized for actually making a contribution to science?" Sheldon asked.

"With you who is one accident away from being a super villain?" Leonard asked.

"Don't you remember the last time you two worked together?" Howard asked.

"Oh boy scientist smack down," Raj said.

"The university gave you a nice lab," Howard said.

"It's a lot nicer than yours Howard," Sheldon said.

A man walks into the lab.

"Raj have you found anything out about the meteorite?" The man ask.

"Almost Billy these are my friends Howard, Leonard, and Sheldon," Raj said as he points each one of them out.

"Greetings, I'm Billy Craston, I'm partnering up with Raj trying to find out as much as we can out the meteorite," the man said.

"I am starting to think the meteorite came from another galaxy, perhaps it went through a black hole," Raj said.

"Do you have any idea what galaxy?" Billy asked.

"No not yet," Raj said.

Billy looked at Howard and asked, "Do you not like to eat in the lunch room?"

"Usually we do eat there, but I been trying to get Raj to take a lunch break," Howard said.

"Also the four of us are close friends we always have lunch together," Leonard said.

"Well let me know, if you find anything else," Billy said.

After Billy left Raj said, "Do you know if the meteorite did go through a black hole, before it got here, what it could mean?" Raj asked.

"That we found something else my mothers cooking can pass through?" Howard joked.

Raj looked up from his microscope and said, "No, but if we took any of your mothers cooking up into space we might end up with small pieces of food floating through space," Raj said.

"Wanna bet?" Howard asked.

"Anyway, we might be able to prove that inter-dimensional travel is possible. Maybe even get this, prove string theory!"

"If we did take my mothers brisket up into space, who knows we might colonize new life," Howard joked.

"Proving string theory and perhaps creating a new galaxy with inhabitants made of beef? "I could train them to be just like me **YIPEE!"** Sheldon said.

"First of all, Howard was joking, and second, the chances of anything evolving from his mom's brisket could take longer than your lifetime," Leonard said.

"You're right on that, but proving string theory! Take that Leslie Winkle! Move over I want to look at the piece that could get me my Nobel Prize!" Sheldon said.

"Your Nobel Prize? It would have Raj and Billy's names on it not yours," Leonard said.

Acting like a little kid, Sheldon pushed Raj out of the way causing Raj to bump into Howard. Sheldon's child like behavior caused Howard to spill his cup of noodles. Some of the liquid landed on the table while some of it landed on the microscope. The rest of it covered the meteorite and the slide it was on. Sparks flew from the microscope as Billy walked back into the lab. Suddenly the sample glows orange.

"Oh crap, from my experience we need to run away," Billy said.

Howard, Raj, and Leonard ran out while Sheldon just watched the sample glow.

Billy stands in the doorway and said, "Dr. Copper."

Leonard walks to the doorway and said, "Come on Sheldon we have no idea what is going to happen."

"What can happen the microscope shorts out? Howard can fix it. If he can fix it that proves it doesn't take a genius to fix a microscope," Sheldon scoffs. "Besides I want to see what happens," he said.

"Did Sheldon cause the sample to short circuit?" Howard asked.

"Dude it's a piece of a meteorite from space, not one of your invention. Not to mention he dissed you again," Raj said.

"I'm use to his dissing me," Howard said.

The microscope starts to shake violently as the glow gets bigger and brighter. The glow covers the microscope as thick gray smoke fills the room. Sheldon is blinded by the light before a beam hits him in the chest. He let's out the loudest scream that anyone ever heard, before him the sample, and the microscope vanishes. The smoke alarm sounds causing Howard, Raj, Billy, and Leonard to look into the room to see Sheldon, the sample, and the microscope gone.

"Aw heck what am I going to tell his mother?" Leonard asked.

"She lives in Texas, how will she know he's gone?" Raj asked.

"Boys, I think we entered into a national news story. Not to mention I think the joke Leonard keeps on telling about Sheldon being one accident away from being a super villain just happened," Howard said.

"We don't know that, he might be like the flash," Raj said.

The sprinklers came on.

"It's not lightening and we can rule out Sheldon becoming a real life Spiderman because their aren't any radioactive spiders here," Howard said.

"I hope the explosion did not cause any harm to your friend. We have no idea what the meteorite can do to a human," Billy said.

"What are we going to tell someone from the university, the news, and Homeland Security?" Leonard asked.

"I'm not talking to Homeland Security, they might pin this on me and try to deport me," Raj said.

"You forgot how many people don't want to deal with Sheldon I say we keep our mouths shut and see how long it takes before anyone notices him gone," Howard said.

"I give it tonight when the girls sees us and not him," Raj said.

The four of them stood there while everyone else ran out of the building. As the smoke started to clear the four of them saw there was no other damage to the room.

"At this point, I don't think this is news worthy so we don't have to worry about Homeland Security," Howard said.

"It's news worthy alright, it's a missing person's case," Raj said.

Raj, Howard, and Leonard turned around to see that Billy left.

"What do we do now?" Howard asked.

"I guess I can take my lunch now although I don't think I'm in the mood to eat," Raj said.

"Howard and I could go back to work," Leonard said.

"Look on the bright side Leonard, you don't have to follow the roommate agreement and Sheldon will never know," Howard said.

"I could, but if Sheldon ever comes back he might know if I sat in his spot or didn't follow the agreement," Leonard said.

**Don't forget to review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Billy ran to his car to get his cell phone. As soon as he turned it on he went through the address book.

_**Come on where is it?**_ He thought.

Billy found the number of the person he wanted to call.

After two rings a man said, "Hey Billy, how's the research going at Cal Tech?"

"Are you alone?" Billy asked.

"No, I am with a few of the other teachers in the teacher's lounge having lunch," the man said.

"Can you call me back when you have a free moment?" Billy asked.

"Yea sure, my free period is right after lunch," the man said.

"Ok I'll talk to you then Tommy," Billy said.

"Alright Billy," Tommy said before they hung up.

He went back to his lab, with his phone in his pocket.

_**I hope I'm over reacting.** _He thought.

Ten minuets later Billy's phone rang.

"Glad that you called back Tommy," Billy said.

When you called during lunch I got the impression you wanted to talk ranger business," Tommy said.

"I do," Billy said.

"Did you discover something that will attack the Megaforce rangers?" Tommy asked.

"No but it does have something to do with my research," Billy said.

"Don't tell me that the meteor came from the M 51 Galaxy and that Master Ville sent a message," Tommy said.

"It's not that. My partner, for the project, was looking at a sample through a microscope when his friends tried to get him to take a lunch break. Getting to the point, the meteorite and one of my partners friends disappeared in thin air. Before I ask this question I want you to sit down," Billy said.

"I am sitting down," Tommy said.

"Will you and Kim be interested in coming out of retirement if needed?" Billy asked.

"I don't want to be a mentor again," Tommy said.

"You won't," Billy said.

You want us to be rangers again?" Tommy asked.

"Affirmative," Billy said.

Somebody knocked on Billy's door.

"Hold on Tommy," Billy said.

He unlocked the door the he said, "Yes Raj?"

"Do you have another microscope and another slide? Also I'm going back to the crash site to see if I can get another sample," Raj said.

"Aren't there anymore in the cabinet in your lab?" Billy asked.

"I'll go check," Raj said.

Billy locked the door and said to Tommy, "Alright I'm back.

"I don't know man. Kim and I are living together now and with the wedding in less than a year," Tommy said.

"I understand you have a busy life but, I don't feel comfortable training rookies for a possible Anton Mercer/Mesogog situation," I'll get back to you," Billy said.

"Alright," Tommy said.

The two of them hung up.

_**Now who's next?**_ Billy thought.

While Billy was calling his former teammates, Leonard and Howard were trying to do their work, but all they could think about was what happened to Sheldon.

Sometime after Billy tried to get a hold of Jason, Rocky, Trini, and Aisha, Raj came back.

"Did you find anything?" Billy asked.

"It appears the meteorite has a molten core," Raj said.

"Interesting," Billy said.

When Raj went back to his lab Billy made some more calls. Zack turned Billy down on the count of his work, Kat said she's busy with the ballet, Tanya was on tour and Adam is her tour manager.

When everyone was getting ready to go home Raj said to Howard, "I wonder if Sheldon will come back as a robot."

"Our friend is gone because of his childish behavior and you wonder if he'll come back as a robot?" Howard asked.

"He's part robot already, why not go all the way," Raj said.

"Knowing him, if he has his way, he'll probably come back as a cyborg," Leonard said.

"You mean like the Borgs in Star Trek?" Raj asked.

"He might have a different method of getting everyone to do what he wants," Howard said.

"Where's Captain Kirk and Spock when you need them?" Raj asked.

"Do we really think Sheldon could come back as a Star Trek character?" Leonard asked.

"Raj started it," Howard said.

"I think I am starting to see why it took you so long to move out of your mothers house after you got married," Leonard said.

On Billy's way home his cell phone rung.

"Hey Tommy what's up?" Billy asked.

"Kim and I talked it over and we're in, as long as this doesn't affect our wedding," Tommy said.

"I hope it doesn't last that long," Billy said.

"So have you got anyone else yet?" Tommy asked.

"Not yet, but Zack, Adam, Tanya, and Kat turn me down due to their busy lives," Billy said.

"I guess Kat is busy with the ballet now and Tanya has her tour going on. How come Zack and Adam decline?" Tommy asked.

"He's busy with work now. The record company has him scouting new talent. Adam is on the road with Tanya," Billy said.

"Oh yeah, isn't he her tour manager?" Tommy asked.

"Something like that," Billy said.

"So you will be without a black ranger," Tommy said.

"I got an idea for a new team, I just have to create the power source," Billy said.

"New team? I'm to old for a new color," Tommy said.

"You have six already, what's one more," Kim said standing next to Tommy.

"You know it's four," Tommy said.

"I know, I just like to tease you," Kim said.

Billy cleared his thought.

"Oh sorry put me down for red or white," Tommy said.

"If you get a different color don't blame me," Billy said.

"Just what I don't need another reason for people to make jokes. If Rocky or anyone ask you to clone me five times don't," Tommy said.

"Got it," Billy said.

"One of you is enough," Kim said.

While Tommy, Kim, and Billy were having their phone conversation, Leonard was looking through the roommate agreement.

**_Let's see here,_ Skynet clause, body snatchers clause, Godzilla clause, section 74, c may or may not come into effect, here's the one about if one friend becomes a super hero, but there is not anything about if one friend becomes a super villain. There doesn't seem to be a clause about if a friend disappears because of a lab accident. I would think he would have a clause like that. I think I'm screwed. Then again if Sheldon becomes a zombie, we're all screwed**. Leonard thought.

Leonard was watching TV when his cell phone rang.

When he answered he said, "Yea Raj."

"Howard just sent me a text say that he told Bernadette that Sheldon is on his way to Bakersfield to be the MC for a symposium that a couple other physicist from the university are speaking at," Raj said.

"I hope she bought it," Leonard said.

"Yea me too, anyways that's our story and we're sticking to it," Raj said.

"For the weekend at least," Leonard said.

"True," Raj said.

"Would you believe Sheldon didn't put anything in the roommate agreement about if one of us disappears because of a lab accident?" Leonard asked.

"I seen how many pages that thing is, so no I don't believe it," Raj said.

"Well he didn't," Leonard said.

"So now we have to come up with an excuse about why none of us were invite," Raj said.

"We can blame it on the last one we were invited to," Leonard said.

"Yea that should work," Raj said.

"So are we still on for pizza tonight?" Leonard asked.

"Absolutely, dude it's our Thursday night tradition," Raj said.

Raj made it to Leonard's apartment before anybody else.

"Oh good thing you're here if Amy or Penny show up while I'm getting the pizza's then you know what to tell them right?" Leonard asked.

"Yes, but what if they ask why didn't he tell anyone?" Raj asked.

Leonard thought then he said, "Tell him that the original MC got sick and President Seibert got a phone call telling him that somebody that was at the conference in Big Sur recommend Sheldon to be the fill in."

"Really, that is what you are going with? Do you even remember that weekend?" Raj asked.

"He was the only one of us who acted professional," Leonard said.

"Good point," Raj said.

Shortly after Leonard left Howard and Bernadette showed up and then Amy arrived before Leonard got back. Raj and Howard told the lie to Amy.

"Not surprising that he wouldn't tell me that he would be gone for the weekend, I had hoped our Valentines weekend would have brought us closer together, but no," Amy said.

"If it wasn't for the train obsessed guy, you two may not of kissed," Howard said.

Shortly after Leonard returned, Penny showed up. Howard told the lie to her.

"Ugh that weekend is why I refuse to take another weekend trip with you people," she said.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning it started to sink in to Leonard that Sheldon was gone. Leonard left the apartment whistling, just for the mere fact that he could without Sheldon there.

_**You know, the ride to work is a lot better without Sheldon**_. Leonard thought to himself while he drove. For the first time in a long time he wasn't being pestered by his roommate's madding quirks. Leonard relaxed into the silence and truly enjoyed the rest of the ride into work for the first time in a long time.

Ever since Raj had mentioned to him of the discovery of the meteorite having a molten center, Billy's mind had been a buzz with possible theories, of what properties the lava could have, how it could be tied into what happened to Dr. Sheldon Cooper, and what practical uses it could have in either powering a new team if need be, or bringing Sheldon back directly.

With all these thoughts in mind, Billy made the decision to drive out to the site of the meteorite before work. He had to see this for himself, before the state sealed off the site, it was his only hope in attaining a suitable sample size for testing without being questioned.

When he saw the molten center for the first time upon his arrival he was completely astonished. As he stared into the brightly glowing crater, watching the orange lava oozing from the meteorite and pooling on the crater floor, the first thought that struck him slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, "How in the world did they miss this the first time?"

As he stood there and watched the lava he noticed the glow being emitted was coming from within the lava itself.

_**I wonder if this could be the power source I'm looking for?** _He thought.

Quickly returning to his car he retrieved a pair of gloves, a long coil of plastic tubing, a pump, and a stainless steel container.

_**I hope this holds the lava doesn't eat through this before I get it to the school.**_ He thought s he used the clear plastic tubing and pump to transport some of the lava into a stainless steel container.

Once he had the container properly sealed and secured in his car he heads back to the school ready to hopefully find the answers he seeks.

When Leonard got to the university, he saw Raj and Howard.

"How did it go after we left?" Howard asked.

"It was nice, although I do wonder what Sheldon would do if he came back after The Flash reboot starts," answers Leonard.

"Yeah I don't want to find out," remarks Howard.

"The reboot won't happen until the fall, do you really think Sheldon will be gone that long?" Raj asked.

That moment is when Billy came around the corner with the container.

"Hey Billy what's in the bucket?" Raj asked.

"It's some molten lava from the meteorite. Instead of coming straight here, I went to the meteorite site to collect some. I would like to run some tests on it to see if it has any connection to what happened to your friend yesterday," answered Billy.

"If you are trying to find a way to get Sheldon back, take your time," Howard said.

"It's not like anyone is in a real rush to see him back in the halls," commented Raj.

"With me being Sheldon's roommate I'll say that he is a bit, what's the word I'm looking for, unpleasant," Leonard said.

"Unpleasant? A colonoscopy is unpleasant," remarked Howard.

"You would know, you are probably in the room with your mom while she's having hers," snapped Raj in response to Howard's statement.

"I am not, the Dr won't let my mother bring me in the room," Howard said.

"Are you guys always like this?" Billy asked.

"Pretty much, so how did you manage to get any of the lava?" Raj asked.

"Very carefully," answered Billy.

"Isn't the state suppose to barricade the meteorite site today?" Leonard asked.

"I think so, but nobody was there when I got there," Billy answered.

"I thought about researching the lava," Raj commented.

"You better let me do it, I don't want you to lose anymore friends," remarked Billy.

"Leonard and I are a lot more mature than Sheldon," Howard said.

Raj folded his arms across his chest and said to Howard, "Really, you're a lot more mature than Sheldon?"

Leonard also folded his arms across his chest and said, "Really, I believe your wife made you move out of your mother's house after you got married."

"Ok, I'm not a lot more mature. The point is neither one of the two of us would turn into an overgrown child just to see a part of a meteorite," Howard said.

"Don't forget, I said it could prove string theory," Raj said.

"Yeah, that's how the mess started," Leonard said.

"Not to mention how my lunch ended," Howard said.

"Also Sheldon said that it could get him _his_ Nobel Prize," Raj said.

"He did realize he wasn't doing any research on it right?" Billy asked.

"Yeah, he thinks he'll get a Nobel Prize someday," Howard said.

"The closest he got was when he thought he discovered a super element," Raj said.

"Yeah let's not go there again, remember when I got invited to be on Ira Flatow's Science Friday radio show on NPR he invited himself," Leonard said.

"Dude what about the physics bowl?" Raj asked.

"Oh yeah the four of us were going to be a team, but when Leonard's girlfriend helped us practice, Sheldon decided to answer every question," Howard said.

"She wasn't my girlfriend then," protested Leonard.

"Anyway, we booted him from the team. He formed his own team, with three people who didn't give answers. The three of us, and Sheldon's replacement, beat him," Raj said.

"All because he didn't know the answer to the last question and the Russian janitor did. I even asked him if it was so important to him that he was the only one to answer and get them all right, that he rather lose solo then win as part of a team?" remarked Leonard.

"I think we all crapped our pants when we saw the last question," Raj said.

"I think it was clear that you did when you said holy crap, anyway, none of us knew the answer," Howard said.

Sounds like a real jerk," Billy said.

"He can be," answers Leonard.

"That's putting it lightly," Howard mumbled.

"The guy is overly arrogant about his intelligence and he likes to hold it over everyone like it makes him so much better than everyone else. Yet, it comes at the price of having no social skills of any kind," Raj said.

"In short, the guy is just bat crap crazy," said Howard.

"Well I better get to the lab and start running some tests," Billy said.

After Billy turned the corner Raj asked, "How can Billy bring Sheldon back if we don't know where he is?"

"Or if he's even still alive," asked Howard.

"At least I don't have to hear him talk about how he doesn't get the Jake from State Farm commercial," Leonard said.

"What's not to get? The guy is on the phone with an insurance agent at three am, his wife thinks he's cheating on her, and still doesn't believe he's really talking to an insurance agent," Howard said.

"I know, but Sheldon doesn't get why the wife thinks her husband is talking to someone other than the insurance agent," Leonard said.

Once in his lab Billy started to run tests on the lava.

_**Fascinating, the lava seems to have the same characteristics as the Zeo Crystals and the Gold Rangers powers.** _He thought, as he looked over the preliminary results.

_**This will require further testing. The kind that can't be accomplished with the equipment on hand here. The results are promising though, very promising.**_ He thought to himself as he gathered the material needed to divide and transport the lava.

Separating the lava took a lot longer than expected, but he eventually had a large enough sample to test and use if things worked out, while still leaving the school some to study. So as soon as lunch came around Billy took the secondary container, with his share of the lava home to analyze in his personal lab, one that held technologies that this planet had yet to see.

Sunday afternoon Penny was coming back from an audition while Leonard was going to the comic book store.

The two of them were on their floor when she asked, "Did Sheldon call you to go and pick him up from Bakersfield because his ride left him?"

"Um no, he actually got himself involved in a research project over there. Since you aren't into science, I won't bother with the explanation about what it is about unless you want to hear about it that is," answered Leonard.

"I'm sure your explanation is easier for me to understand than Sheldon's but nope!" She said.

"Yea I figured you wouldn't want to hear about it," Leonard said.

"Did he say how long he will be gone?" Penny asked.

"No, although I think it will take months," Leonard said.

"How much money did you send them to take him?" Penny asked.

"If money was an issue, the whole university would chip in big money for that fund," Leonard answered.

"So do you still have to do the roommate agreement?" Penny asked.

"Um Sheldon wants me to according to the agreement, but I won't live up to it until I know he's coming back," Leonard said.

"Does Amy know about Sheldon's new position?" Penny asked.

"No, he just Skyped me, besides it's a hush-hush kind of project," Leonard said.

"So where are you going?" Penny asked.

"To the comic book store," Leonard answered.

"Well, have fun," Penny said.

"Thanks," Leonard said.

_**I can't believe I just lied to my girlfriend, I better text Howard and Raj.** _Leonard thought.

Before he drove to the store he text Howard and Raj, informing them about what he told Penny. Howard, Bernadette, and Raj were watching TV at Howard and Bernadette's place when Howard got the text.

"Who would text you now?' Raj asked.

"Is Sheldon home and he's annoying Leonard already?" Bernadette asked.

Howard stood up and took a couple of steps before he said, "No, no, Leonard just Skyped with Sheldon and Sheldon just informed him that he will be doing some research around Bakersfield for a while."

"Why would Leonard text you and not me?" Raj asked.

"Check your phone," Howard said.

Raj reached into his pocket, looked into his phone and said, "Oh he did text me."

"What does yours say Raj?" Bernadette asked.

"The same thing as Howard's text," Raj said.

"Well at least we won't have to deal with Sheldon for a while," Bernadette said.

_**Well, I'm afraid it's if he returns at this point .** _Howard thought.

_**She says that now, but she doesn't know the truth.** _Raj thought.

Meanwhile, after several hours, Billy was at home, in his private lab, finishing up his research. The lava was now in the stainless container with what looked like a camera the dentist would use for X-rays attached. The camera was hooked up to a computer and the screen displayed its results on the different elements found in the lava.

_**Wow, these levels are off the charts! Let's see here: Jason, Trini, Tommy, Kim, Aisha, Rocky, and myself can be rangers if needed. With the lava being the most powerful power source we ever had, we should be able to get Sheldon back to being human, if he comes back that is**_. Billy thought.

He quickly got started on the other things that they would need now that he had found his power source for he knew that when it came to things like this, they were not that lucky, and whatever is coming is going to be ugly and they would need to be ready to fight it. As he thought about all the things he now had to do, and that he had no idea what the deadline would be, other than it being a lot sooner than he would like, says to himself, "It's going to be a long night, in fact quite a few long nights!"

**Don't forget to leave a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

Later that evening Leonard returned home to find Amy in the lobby of the building about to go up to the apartment. So Leonard told Amy the lie and that Sheldon isn't allowed to have any contact with anyone back home.

"What is this a research project or jury duty?" Amy asked.

"Yeah well they're worried about information getting leaked out so they are taking precautions," Leonard said.

"Most women would be upset that their boyfriend would only tell his best friend instead of his girlfriend. But, I'm not most women," Amy said.

"And there were certain roommate things he wanted to tell me," Leonard said.

"Are you going to stick to your agreement with Sheldon?" Amy asked.

"Not now," Leonard said.

* * *

A week later, the university started an investigation about why Sheldon hasn't been seen.

At lunch Billy asked Raj," Shouldn't one of us tell the president what happened?"

"I'm afraid to," answered Raj.

"I think we should all go and explain what happened," Leonard said.

"I think the three of you should go without me," Billy suggested.

"What if I do tell, then somebody might try to deport me," Raj lamented.

"Come on, we caused Sheldon to disappear, you would probably be treated as a hero not punished," Howard said.

"Really Raj would be a hero?" Billy asked.

"Oh yes, the only reason Howard and I are friends with him is because we like Leonard," Raj said.

"So Billy, how's your research going?" Leonard asked.

"Quite well, I have never seen anything like it," Billy said.

"Be careful, we don't want you to become a super villain," Howard smirked.

"Billy's not crazy like Sheldon," Leonard said.

"Leonard's right, I'm not crazy. Besides if an accident did happen I think I would be a super hero," Billy responds.

"Super Billy," Raj joked.

"Nah, I would go with whatever my super power made me," Billy responded.

_**Little do they know about me.**_ Billy thought.

"Wait, what if I say that I was having lunch in the lab when Sheldon started acting like a little kid?" Howard asked.

"You might get told not to eat in the lab, and the three of us just might get raises," Raj said.

"I can't believe that the three of you would be considered heroes because of a freak accident," Billy remarked in a disbelieving tone.

"You don't want to know how many people Sheldon has made mad," Raj said.

"We can start with Dr. Gablehauser, who fired Sheldon after Sheldon insulted him," Howard said.

"And for some reason rehired Sheldon," Raj said.

"Think that his mother had something to do with that," remarked Leonard.

"Oh don't forget President Siebert, who hated when Sheldon set up suggestion boxes on his own," Raj interjected.

"Not surprisingly, the top suggestion was to give Sheldon a vacation," Howard said.

"It was no vacation that's for sure," Leonard quipped.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go get our reward," Howard said excitedly.

"Wait, is he really that bad?" Billy asked.

**"YES!"** Howard, Raj, and Leonard exclaimed in unison.

"If you came to the apartment while Sheldon was there, he would tell you if you were sitting in his spot on the couch. That's right, for years I had a roommate who had a spot that only he was allowed to sit in," stated Leonard.

"Oh even though he doesn't have his driver's license, or even a car, he had a parking spot. When I got my car, after I returned from space, the university gave me his parking spot. When I told him where I was parked, he got mad," Howard said.

"What happened?" Billy asked.

"Oh you know the typical pranks Sheldon having my car towed, painting his name on the parking stop, trying to push my car out of the parking spot with his bare hands, and trying to run me over, With my car!" Howard answered.

"Wasn't he naked while he tried to run you over?" Raj asked

"Don't remind me," said Howard.

"Don't forget he also took your Iron Man helmet," Leonard said.

"If Sheldon ran for President of the United States, he would whine and probably would pull several pranks," Raj said.

"If you ask my girlfriend about Sheldon, you'll be listening to her stories all day," Leonard said.

"That could be a comedy show," Raj said.

"Nobody should have seen when Sheldon put Penny's clothes on the telephone line," Leonard said.

"You mean when he hung Penny's undies on the telephone wire?" Raj asked.

"Yes Raj, nobody should have seen that," Leonard said.

"Did that really happened?" Billy asked.

"Yes and it caused a few traffic accidents," Leonard said.

"I would guess more than a few," Billy said.

"As crazy as Sheldon is, if he comes back, he could be crazier," Raj said.

"That seems hard to believe," Billy said.

"Believe it," Leonard and Howard said in unison.

"Sheldon's mother once told me that he tried to build a death ray to get the neighborhood kids to stop bullying him," Leonard said.

"Really?" Billy asked in a surprised tone of voice.

"Yea, thankfully all it did was annoy the family dog. Let's just hope he doesn't come back as a super villain," Leonard said.

"If that does happen, we're screwed! hypocritically, what super hero could stop an evil Sheldon? Green Lantern?" Howard asked.

"No, one reason is what if the wearer wasn't wearing the ring and Sheldon took it? Or what if Sheldon had something yellow?" Raj asked.

_**Are they really talking about comic book super heroes?** _Billy wondered.

"What about Batman?" Howard asked.

"Depends, if Sheldon robs a bank, or something like that. Otherwise no, he's just a crime fighter with no special powers," Leonard said.

"How about The Flash?" Raj asked.

"Maybe, it depends on what Sheldon's powers are. Otherwise Sheldon does know his weakness," Howard said.

"I take it he's a big comic book collector," Billy commented.

"We all are," Leonard replied to Billy. Leonard then suggested to his friends," How about Superman?"

"The early version no. The later ones maybe, as long as Sheldon doesn't have any Kryptonite," Raj said.

"Assuming those super heroes are real, they all process qualities that can slow down Sheldon, if he did become a super villain," Billy said.

"How about Spider-man?" Raj asked.

"Nah, Sheldon probably could match Peter Parker as far as chemistry, physics, and perhaps every thing Peter Parker would think of. At least when it comes to science," Leonard said.

"Did we forget that Sheldon knows all their strengths and weaknesses," Howard said.

"If I can interject, how about real super heroes instead of comic book ones? Everyone knows the Power Rangers are real," Billy said.

After some deep thought Howard, Raj, and Leonard all at the same time said, "That could work."

"Come on guys, let's be realistic here," Howard said.

"You're asking us to be realistic? When you started the what super hero could stop Sheldon talk," remarked Raj.

Ignoring Raj Howard said, "Let's go to President Siebert and tell him what happened."

"Let's do it," Leonard said, as they all got up from the table.

* * *

Billy went back to his lab, while Howard, Raj, and Leonard went to the President's office.

"Gentlemen what can I do for you?" President Siebert asked.

"We have information on what happened to Sheldon," Leonard said.

"Their was a freak accident in my lab... and go on Howard," Raj said.

"Um well you see, one day last week Sheldon, Leonard, and myself went to Raj's lab to try to get him to take a lunch break, and I got hungry. So I warmed up my cup of noodle soup in the lab. While I was eating, Raj said he thought the meteorite could prove String Theory, and... Raj I think you can take it from here," Howard said.

"Well then Sheldon got excited and accidentally bumped into Howard before he pushed me away from the microscope. Howard's soup spilt on the microscope and the meteorite fragment. The next thing we knew, there was a giant glow, smoke, and then a small explosion. The three of us ran out of the room, except for Sheldon, who just stood there watching. When we went back into the room, Sheldon, the microscope, and the fragment had vanished," Raj explained.

"Is this true?" President Siebert asked.

"Yes sir, you can asked Billy Craston about the glow and the exposition," Leonard asked.

"Oh yea, Billy walked in and asked me if I found anything, then went over to check over some of my earlier findings. When the meteorite started to glow, he saw it and warned us all to get out. He tried to get Sheldon to leave to, but Sheldon ignored him thinking he knew better," Raj said.

"I'll ask Billy if your story is correct. Otherwise, I think I need to remind everyone not to eat in any off the labs," President Siebert said.

"Told you," Raj mumbled to Howard.

"You three are very lucky, now I don't have that pain in my behind anymore," President Siebert said with a slight smirk.

"The same goes for me too," Leonard said.

* * *

Howard, Raj, and Leonard went their separate ways after leaving the president's office. A few hours later, before Billy got ready to go home, President Siebert showed up in his lab.

"Billy I heard you witnessed the disappearance of Dr. Sheldon Copper. Is that right?" President Siebert asked.

"Yes sir," Billy said.

"To bad that meteorite didn't land any sooner. Dr. Copper was a thorn in everyone's side for a long time," President Sibert remarked.

"The others told me about Sheldon," Billy said in an understanding tone.

"If I ever see another suggestion box, it'll be to soon. Have a good night Billy," President Siebert said before he walked out.

_**Here I thought high school was weird! I wonder if there is anybody who actually wants Sheldon back.** _Billy thought while he headed out to his car to head home for the night.

* * *

Over the next few days word got out about what happened to Sheldon. One day at lunch people applauded Raj.

"Your friend was involved in a freak accident and you become a hero?" Billy asked.

"I guess," Raj answered.

"Things haven't been better since... Well never," Howard said.

"Yea, we almost got a vacation from him once," Raj commented.

"Only to have him take us to the North Pole with him," Howard said.

Barry Kripke walked up to them and said, "Bwavo guys I must say I'm impressed."

"It's not something we meant to do," Raj said.

"Awe you kidding, you just made my chances of getting tenuwe bettew," Barry said before he walked off laughing.

"So the resident jerk thinks that we did a good thing," Leonard remarks.

"What does he know, Raj probably will be the one to get tenure," Howard said.

"You think so?" Raj asked.

"Dude you got rid of everyone's problem," Howard said.

"Actually Sheldon did that himself," Raj corrected him.

"Didn't Amy tell you about how Sheldon attempted to bribe the members of the tenure committee?" Howard asked.

"Oh yes, he bought Mrs. Davis a copy of the movie Roots," Leonard said.

"The head of Human Resources?" Billy asked if a surprised tone.

"Yep," Howard said.

"I got an idea, why don't the three of us get together tonight and burn the roommate agreement," Leonard said pointing to Raj, Howard, and himself.

"You want to burn up your lease?" Billy asked.

"No, the roommate agreement is a silly contract Sheldon came up with for anyone who lives with him," Leonard said.

"Let's do it," Howard said.

"I'm game," Raj said.

"You want to come billy?" asked Leonard.

"No, I think I'll pass. I have some work I need to do at home, but thanks for the invite," Billy answered.

Later Billy thought to himself. _**If Sheldon is as bad as everyone makes him out to be, then the others and myself are going to have our hands full if he comes back as anything other than normal.**_


	5. Chapter 5

Sometime after Leonard got home, he took the roommate agreement out of the drawer and looked for matches.

_**Why do I not have any matches here? I'm sure Sheldon was against having any here.** _He thought.

He then sent a text to Howard asking him to bring matches.

Bernadette heard Howard's text message tone and said, "Don't tell me Sheldon is back."

"No it's nothing like that. Leonard invited Raj and myself to his place so the three of us can hang out," Howard said.

"You three see each other enough at work," Bernadette said.

"This is different. You, Amy, and Penny have your girls night, this will be our guys night. No Sheldon and nobody from work," Howard said.

"Crap, I forgot Penny invited Amy and I to try the new Asian Fusion restaurant," Bernadette said.

"Great you'll have your girls night and I'll have my guys night. Then later who knows what will happen," Howard said.

"I think I already know what will happen later," Bernadette said.

When Bernadette went into the bathroom, Howard found a grill lighter and he kept it hidden from Bernadette.

A few minutes later she came out of the bathroom and said, "Alright I'm off."

"You're taking the car?" Howard asked.

"Yes, I'm meeting Penny and Amy there," she said.

"I guess I can ask Raj if he can pick me up," Howard said.

Bernadette kissed Howard then she said, "You do that."

"Have a good night," Howard said. After Bernadette left, he sent Raj a text asking if he can get a ride. Raj replied, sure what happened to your car? Howard replied, that it got a flat tire on his way home. Howard then grabbed the lighter before he left.

"Dude what's with the lighter?" Raj asked when Howard got in.

"Leonard asked me to bring some matches. I knew I had this lighter that I took from my mom's so she wouldn't burn herself," Howard said.

"I thought you would be ok if she died," Raj said,

"Yeah, I didn't think about that, but I don't want her taking the house with her when she goes," Howard said.

Raj and Howard went to Leonard's apartment, when they go there Raj asked Leonard, "Are you ready to get this party started?"

"Yep, I was thinking good thing the meteorite didn't land a year or two ago. Imagine if a few years back, the meteorite lands and you were working alongside a female physicist," Leonard said.

"You mean like when I almost worked with Professor Laughlin and his team?" Raj asked.

"Yep," Leonard said.

"Screw you," Raj said.

"Moving on, gentlemen if you are ready, to the roof!" Leonard said.

"Why are we burning it up on the roof?" Raj asked.

"So we don't set off the smoke alarms duh," Howard said.

"To the roof!" Howard and Raj said in unison.

"Wait, do you have a large metal can? You know something we can put the papers in so only they will burn?" Howard asked.

"It's up there already," Leonard said.

While the three of them were going to the roof Raj said, "Good thing the girls are having their girls night."

"I thought you would want to be with them," Howard said.

"Not tonight, I'm with my bros. You know it's bros before...," Raj said before Leonard cut him off.

"We get it," Leonard said.

Howard saw Raj holding a sack and asked," What's in the sack?"

"You'll see," Raj said.

When they got to the roof there was a metal trash can that look like the one the Sesame Street character Oscar the Grouch lives in.

"Where did you get this trash can from the set of Sesame Street?" Howard asked.

"No, even if I did, I would make sure there is not a green Muppet in it," Leonard said.

"As of this moment, I declare every night anything can happen night," Howard said.

"Actually we don't need an anything can happen night," Leonard said.

"We kind of been doing our own things since Sheldon disappeared," Raj said.

"Good point, anyways let's get this party started," Howard said.

Leonard put all but one of the papers in the trash can.

"Lighter," Leonard said.

Howard handed him the lighter.

"Hold on," Raj said.

"What?" Howard asked.

Raj reached into a the sack and pulled something out of it.

"Not the musical shirt," Leonard said.

"What it's fitting for this moment," Raj said.

Ignoring Raj, Leonard set the last piece of paper on fire before he tossed it into the can. As the piles of papers, that were the roommate agreement, were being bunt, the guys hollered as loud as they could. Reveling in the moment of freedom, from the roommate agreement and all of sheldon's tyranny!

Meanwhile Billy was working on converting the lava into the power source. The substance was definitely the answer, according to all of his tests, now he just needed to figure out a way to utilize it. That seemed to be the major hurdle at the moment and it had him extremely vexed at the moment.

_**Now what will the morphers look like?** _He thought to himself as he looked over his plans. He had come up with several different designs for the new morphers, and yet with the readings he had on the lava's power levels proved them all unsuitable for the task as they would not be able to handle the lava's power. He had to find a way to build something that would be strong enough to contain the lava's massive power levels without burning out or self destruct.

It was going to take a great deal more experimenting and testing to find something that was going to be able to work in a reliable manner. Billy took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, as he sat back in his chair, this was going to be the start of a set of very long nights for him till he figured this out, and create a workable prototype. He just hoped that he had the time to do it in, cause from all he heard about Dr. Cooper from others at the university this could get ugly really fast, and possibly be very dangerous for the world in general.

A week later President Siebert went to to Billy's lab.

"Listen Billy, I know you are on loan from another university just for this project, but I would like to make you a permanent member of this university," he said.

"Sir, I'm honored, but I need time to think about this," Billy said.

"Of course I understand that this is a big decision, please take all the time you need," President Siebert said.

"I'll get back to you as soon as I have an answer for you on the matter," stated Billy.

"Very well then, I'll leave you to your work then, good day," commented President Siebert, just before he departed the lab.

Leaving Billy in shock at what just happened.

That evening Billy was at home designing the suits, needing to take a break from the problems he was having with the morphers design, when his cell phone rung.

He looked at the caller ID before he answered, "Hey Rocky."

"How are things in Pasadena?" Rocky asked.

"Stranger then when we were rangers back in Angel Grove," Billy said.

"I find that hard to believe," Rocky said.

"Nobody at the university liked the guy who went missing, my partner is a hero for his part in the disappearance, and I been offered a job at Cal Tech," Billy said.

"Why are we going to go back into battle if nobody liked the guy? Also, are you going to accept?" Rocky asked.

"His friend joked that he's one accident away from a super hero and if that's true it could be very bad. I don't know if I want the job, I'm currently working on the new ranger powers during my free time," Billy said.

"How is that going?" Rocky asked.

"Slow, I don't have any blueprints for the morphers or the zords," Billy said.

"Can't you reprogram the Zeo zords?" Rocky asked.

"I suppose I can, but there are only five main zords and there will be more than five rangers," Billy said.

"Didn't Trey leave us the Super Zeo zords?" Rocky asked.

"I believe so, but their won't be ten rangers," Billy said.

"What about Tommy's red battle zord?" Rocky asked.

"I forgot about that one. Thanks for the reminder," Billy said.

"You're welcome, hey I'm going to go. Aisha just walked in," Rocky said.

"OK bye," Billy said before they hung up.

_**I wonder if Tommy's old dragon zord is still operational. If so, I wonder if I can reprogram it.** _Billy thought.

Billy suddenly got inspired to put aside his designs for the suits and went back to his plans for the morphers, determined to master the problems he was having.


End file.
